California Contractor Bond | Contractor’s License Bonding Experts

Important update: Effective January 1, 2016 the CSLB increased the required bond amount from $12,500 to $15,000. A California contractor’s license bond is a form of a security deposit that is required in order to carry out your construction operations. It is deposited with the state board and may take the following forms; cash, certificates of deposits and/or surety. It is a contract that is entered into by the company and the state to ensure the owner will obey the state’s laws pertaining to contracting law (B & P code section 7000) Any interested party may sue for the violation of the surety bond. However, the main obligation is to avoid any violation of the CSLB. Interested parties include and are not limited to suppliers, consumers and/or employees. If in any case you fail to adhere to the conditions of this particular agreement the aforementioned parties may file a claim against it. Many people have a problem differentiating between general liability and a bond. One major difference between the two is with a surety company the owner remains liable for any liability suffered as a result of a loss incurred.

Effective January 1st, 2016 the State increased the required amount of a license bond from $12,500 to $15,000. Please note this figure may vary as a result of certain circumstances; for example. CSLB may require a separate bond for a licensee who has been disciplined. A new surety has to be taken if the old one has expired or the license will remain inactive. Several parties are covered by this, they include and are not limited to; 1. A homeowner who has contracted for the services of the licensee in his or her personal family residence damaged as a result of the licensee’s violation of the law. 2. Any property owner who has contracted for the development of a single family home damaged as a result of the licensee’s violation of the license law. 3. Any person who has suffered any damage as a result of a deliberate and willful violation by the licensee.

Limit the likelihood of a claim being filed against your contractor bond by; Maintaining good and accurate records of all the transactions done during the period of the contract as well as confirming in writing, not orally, any agreements reached as at the end of the project. Putting the terms of the construction contract in writing. Communication is a vital element in order for parties to reach a mutual agreement. Failure to communicate effectively and frequently makes the other shareholders lose their faith in you. Sometimes due to unavoidable circumstances you may fail to pay your suppliers and/or subs on time. However, depending on your communication skills these individuals may either; institute a claim against your bond or contractors insurance in California. Again, Communication is most important when faced with a claim. You should immediately contact the surety and explain your position. It is also very important to submit and disclose all the relevant documentation and/or information pertaining to the subject matter. This is important when dealing with CSLB; they usually insist on full disclosure. Cooperation will save you time and unnecessary hassles. If there is one thing the surety company and/or CSLB takes seriously; it is complaints. Contact us with any additional questions…We are happy to help!